Along with my new hair due I got some new hair products. I have very fine hair and felt like my hair needed a good lift. I purchased some fattening gel along with a good leave in conditioner. My hair has never looked and felt so healthy! It feels really good to change up the style and I am enjoying my new look. I am not saying that I will always wear it this length but it is fun for now.

I think next time I go to get my hair done - I usually wait a few months I will just get it trimmed and let it grow out a little bit more. I think I would enjoy it if it were just a few inches longer. That way it is not too short but is also not too long.

1. A good hairbrush is first and foremost - with out a good brush you could be damaging your hair every time you brush it. The best hairbrushes have a rubber base and boar’s head bristles.

2. The right shampoo can make all the difference. When dealing with shampoo it is all about quality versus quantity, you only need a dollar size amount when washing your hair. A great shampoo is Pantene.

3. The right conditioner is also key for maintaining healthy hair. Conditioner works to protect hair against heat and other chemicals. Again Pantene is a recommended brand.

4. A wide- toothcomb is a great tool to use for brushing out wet hair; in fact it is the only tool that should be touching your hair when it is wet.

5. Shine serum is great for adding an extra glow to your hair, just be sure to not over do it - too much can weigh down your hair.

6. Talcum powder - a great resource to absorb oil between washes.

7. A good blow dryer - the less time you spend exposing your hair to excessive heat the better. Someone with thick hair should not use a blow-dryer with any less then 1875 watts and someone with finer hair should not go under 1500 watts.

8. Straightening balm or volumnizing mousse depending on your hairs need. If you have fine hair volumnizing mousse can be your best friend and if you are blessed with thicker hair straightening balm can help you control unruly hair.

9. Straight irons and hot rollers - if your hair tends to be on the curly side a straight iron can work wonders and if you have straight hair hot rollers can add volume in no time.

10. Hairspray - yes you heard me right - hairspray can hold any look in to place while protecting hair against UV rays and humidity.

1. Try to avoid smoking, alcohol and caffeine all of these products create dehydration.

2. Water consumption is key! Make sure you are at least drinking 8 glasses a day. If you play sports or work out regularly be sure  drink even more!

3. Protect your skin from all elements - wind, sun, heat, and cold are all harmful to your skin if you do not properly protect it and can cause dehydration. If you are going to be in the heat or sun make sure to use sunscreen and chap stick. If you are going to be in the wind or cold make sure to moisturize well and again remember your chap stick.

4. If you want a little extra moisturizing try adding a tablespoon of olive oil to a bath after soaking first for 5 minutes. The pre soaking opens your pours to hold the moisture in.

5. Avoid long hot showers or baths especially during the wintertime. Both of these activities dry out your skin.

6. Humidifiers work wonders and help to prevent dehydration.
Keep all of these tips in mind as we go from summer to winter months.

My makeup goals were to make my eyes look bigger, really bring out the green in them and just have an overall very glamorous look. I have an evening wedding so I feel like I can pull off a little more makeup!

I have green eyes and so she used a lot of purples and gold’s to bring them out. I thought it would be cool to wear fake eyelashes and they looked amazing. My eyes really popped and my skin had a nice natural sun kissed glow. My lips were a glossy pink with a natural looking lip liner.

I am so excited to have my makeup done for my big day! I feel completely confident that my makeup will look and feel amazing on my wedding day. Now I just have to figure out the perfect wedding hairstyle. I have less then 3 weeks until the big day!

I am considering having a facial done before my makeup trial but I have really sensitive skin so I don’t know if that is the best avenue to take. I have never had a facial before but I have heard they feel great.

When thinking about my bridal makeup I have a few thoughts in mind. For my eyes I want to do something new and different. First of all I have never had false eyelashes so I am having those put on. I am going for a very natural looking eyelash so that I do not feel over done. I am also going for a smoky eye look - we are having an evening wedding so I know I can pull it off.

For my base I want to have a nice sunny glow and for my lips I want them to be glossy but a good color for photos. I am doing an airbrush tan before my trial run, which will also give me a good idea of what I will look like on my wedding day.

I will keep you all posted on how everything goes!

A solid base includes making sure eye circles are disguised and any skin perfections are hidden away. Once you have your base together the next thing to consider is foundation. Your foundation should always match your skin tone in natural sunlight. Something to always make sure is that your face and your neck are the same color. A good way to know if a foundation is the right color is to do a swipe of the foundation down your cheek - if the color blends in and you can hardly notice it - that is the best color to wear. If you can clearly see the line of foundation - you have the wrong color of foundation.

After the primer and foundation is in place it is time to start thinking about natural powders.  Powders are great for creating that perfect matt finish. My favorite Oregon Wedding Photographer Jaysun Spieth always encourages brides to wear a lot of powder to ensure every picture is perfect! After you have achieved the perfect powder finish a good bronzer should be applied to the tip of your nose, the middle of your forehead and to your cheeks. These are the points on your face that get the most natural sunlight.

Once you are finished with all the above steps you are ready to move on to color. When adding color apply your makeup like you are going out in the evening. Wear a little more makeup and darker then usual to make sure the color comes out well in photos.

Good Luck!

When I woke up the next morning I was afraid that my tan was too dark but this was before I had showered. After I showered I had the perfect tan. It looked natural and I was defiantly glowing. The salon I went to is in an area close to my house.

If I can get an appointment for my wedding I will be sure to book it! The only problem is the lady that did my tan in going on vacation and does not know her schedule yet for the time period of my wedding.

My dilemma is that I do not have a solid answer from the place I would like to do it at so now I have to go out and find a backup plan. I am pretty bummed because once you are happy with results it is hard to try to find another place or person you are happy with.

I am looking into a place called Bask in the Sun Tanning. They also offer an airbrush tan service and they have great reviews. I do not know what the cost is but I plan on calling and finding out soon I will keep you all posted!

I have had one airbrush tan in my life. I had it done right before my sister’s wedding.  I was really happy with the results and the tan lasted a good amount of time. I am getting married in two months and I am on the look out for the best airbrush tan available. Since it is my wedding day I have to make sure that the color turns out perfect!

I am going today for a trial run. I have an appointment at 4:30pm. I am doing it today because my bridal shower is tomorrow and I want to look my best. Living in Oregon it is nice to have the option of a spray tan and airbrush tan. I plan on doing another trial run right before the bachelorette party and then one more time for my special day.

I used to get mystic tans done all the time but I was never truly happy with the results. They always turned out streaky and they never lasted long enough. Wish me luck with my tan! I will be sure to blog about how everything turns out.

My favorite summer looks include sunscreen, bronzer, waterproof mascara and lip-gloss. This look is great because you are waterproof and sun kissed with out wearing too much makeup. With this look you can appear as if you have been in the sun - but your skin stays nice and healthy!

Some other summer looks include the all-natural look - sunscreen and chap stick, the lip-gloss and mascara only look and my favorite waterproof mascara and clear lip-gloss. Each look offers a different dash out the door option.

What ever you choose you are sure to look radiant as the summer time brings the sparkle out in all!

Before you hit the sun make sure to pack the essentials to keep you glowing all summer long!

1.    Sunscreen
2.    Chap Stick
3.    Waterproof Mascara
4.     Your best smile!!!

I am a bride to be and choosing the right makeup is critical to looking my best on my wedding day. As I bride I know that the pictures that are taken on my wedding day will last a lifetime and I will be a special keep sake the rest of my life.

When choosing wedding makeup there are many different choices. Starting with a very natural look with very little makeup at all and going into a lot more makeup for a more dramatic look. As a bride you can choose to go with either of these options or a nice middle ground of the two.

I have chosen to go with a smoky eye look and then a very shimmery lip-gloss with a tint of color to it. This look will enhance my eyes and really bring out my good features.

If you do not feel comfortable doing your own makeup don’t be afraid to consult with a professional. A professional makeup artist can help you bring out your best features and insure you look your best for your special day.